Cognitive and affective academic self-concepts: Which predicts vocational education students’ career choice?

• Cognitive and affective academic self-concepts are clearly differentiated by vocational education students. • Cognitive self-concept is more strongly associated with performance-based outcomes. • Affective self-concept is more strongly associated with non-performance outcomes. • Affective self-concept is a stronger predictor of career intention. Grounded in self-concept theory, this study examined the predictability of cognitive and affective academic self-concepts in relation to vocational education students’ education and career choice outcomes in the Hong Kong HE setting in two studies ( N s = 384 and 476). Structural equation modeling revealed that sense of competence (i.e., cognitive) is more related to competence/performance-based outcomes (i.e., operational capability and resilience at work in Study 1; and competition in Study 2). Liking of the vocation (i.e., affective) is more related to non-performance-based emotional-motivational outcomes (i.e., career intention in both studies and educational aspiration in Study 2) than is the cognitive component. These findings offer an empirical basis to guide vocational higher education institutes to effectively use educational resources to build a sustainable future workforce.